Email to Cat      

Okra and Tomatoes

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"I've seen countless variations on this dish. The method I have here is to really cook down the tomatoes to make a sauce while keeping the okra firm. Cooking okra requires great skill owing to the slime factor. Whenever I use okra for anything except deep-frying I sauté it in hot oil for about 5 minutes to cook out the slimy quality. Deep-frying okra achieves the same effect. At the same time, you must be careful not to overcook it because then it will revert to mush; there has to be a balance, as you still want it to taste like okra. The tomatoes in the dish play a supporting role for the okra. The recipe calls for chicken broth, but water or vegetable broth can be used. This thick, jammy sauté is delicious alongside any roasted meat, or served atop cheesy spoonbread, baked grits, or steamed rice."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon bacon fat
â—¦ ½ medium onion, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
â—¦ 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
â—¦ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
â—¦ 3 plum tomatoes, diced
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
â—¦ 4 bay leaves
â—¦ 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
â—¦ ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
â—¦ 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
â—¦ 1 â…“ cups chicken or vegetable broth
â—¦ 2 tablespoons olive oil
â—¦ 3 cups trimmed okra, cut into 1 ½-inch slices


Recipe

In a medium skillet, heat the bacon fat over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, pepper, bay leaves, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes start to break down and form something of a paste, then add the broth and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes longer over low heat.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the okra and sauté for about 5 minutes. Stir the okra into the tomato sauce, raise the heat to medium, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings and adjust as desired.

Serves 4